


Fear

by Korderoo



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-21
Updated: 2013-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-05 09:57:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1092550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Korderoo/pseuds/Korderoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma, Henry, and Regina are forced to confront their fears at the Halloween festival. Swan Queen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fear

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is a (shamefully overdue) story I wrote for OUaT Trick-or-Treat for Onceuponanevilangel. My hearty apologies for the delay – I am working on Thanksgiving and Christmas follow-ups as a way to express my sincere regret. 
> 
> I hope that you will enjoy it and let me know what you think!
> 
> Disclaimer: Of course, I own none of the characters, settings, etc. for Once Upon a Time. This is for fun, not profit.

It wasn’t until they had been back from Neverland for four months that things began to resemble the life they’d known before.  With school underway and the wind growing steadily colder, September brought back a sense of routine to Storybrooke.

Of course, in many ways, their lives would never be the same. 

Henry had suffered from nightmares for about a month after they returned.  Extensive work with Archie and quality time with both mothers had helped them to abate.  Still there were times that Henry responded to people or circumstances that he found threatening like a much younger child.  Fear had become the specter over Henry’s shoulder that he could never fully shake.

One major change was completely for the better, in Henry’s opinion, and that was the change in the relationship between his mothers.  No longer did they feel the need to argue over their son.  Having nearly lost him completely, both were satisfied to share in his life – especially as doing so allowed Henry to see them both daily and feel safe that they were both nearby.

Both Emma and Regina had begun to look forward to the time the three of them spent together as a family as much as Henry did.  He was certain that neither of them was fully aware of this, but he’d noticed the subtle touches and shy smiles.  The way that they spoke of each other denoted teamwork and a united front rather than competition between nemeses.

Some nights when Henry was spending time with Neal, he knew that they had dinner together, though they never called it a “date”.  He was glad they were friends as they both seemed happier and it certainly made his life easier.  But Henry felt frustrated at times too that they both refused to acknowledge that which was painfully clear to him – that over the past few months (or years) his mothers had been falling in love.

He had finally raised the issue to Neal tonight who had laughed heartily and told Henry, “Whew, I thought I was the only one seeing that.”  But Neal took his support a step further and planted the idea in Henry’s mind that perhaps a little nudge from their son would go a long way in getting them to see.

So over dinner at Granny’s, father and son concocted a new plan – “Operation: In Plain Sight” with the objective to have Henry’s mothers together by Halloween.

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Phase one began the next day when Henry was eating Breakfast with Emma. 

“Hey, Emma.”

“Yeah, kid?”

“Well, Halloween is right around the corner.”

“I know, kid.  Your mom was telling me last night that she’s already working on your costume.  You’re going to be Richard, right?  From _Legend of the Seeker_?”

“Yep.  Because he always tries to find the truth – just like me.”  He grinned slyly at her.  “So do you know who you’re going to be?”

“Nope.  Guess I haven’t really thought about it.  I could be…a small town sheriff.”

Henry just rolled his eyes.  “Well, as cool and creative as that sounds, I have a better idea.  Why don’t you dress up as Kahlan?”

Emma’s nose wrinkled.  “Um…the confessor?  But isn’t she…”  Emma cleared her throat uncomfortably.  “Isn’t she like…Richard’s girlfriend?  That’s creepy, kid.”

“No, no!”  Henry’s voice rose dramatically and he sighed.  “Richard and Kahlan were friends first.  Besides, it’s not about that…gross.  But Kahlan can always tell when people are lying – just like you.  And even though she’s not the queen, she’s more important than any of the queens – just like you, because you’re the savior!”

“Well, I don’t know about that last part, but I guess the superpower thing makes sense.”

“And Neal said he’ll be Zedd, so it will make sense for the theme.”

At the thought of Neal in a wig and robes Emma snorted before her face fell and she looked at Henry worriedly.  Suddenly she was terrified that Henry was trying to set her up with Neal when she had secretly been planning to ask Regina out.  She had even given herself the deadline of Halloween.  She leaned in and made sure to lean in and catch Henry’s eyes.

“Ok, but the family costume thing…Henry, you know that your dad and I will not be getting back together.

“Oh, I know.”

“Henry,” Emma narrowed her eyes in warning.

“Emma, I know.  Really.  I don’t even want you to.”

Emma continued to eye him suspiciously for a moment before she sighed and said “I don’t know, Henry.  I mean, that’s a lot of white.  You know I can’t help spilling on myself.  And I really want to get food at the festival!”

“Come on, Emma, please,” he lowered his head and gazed at her through widened eyes, “I know you’ll look beautiful.  And I bet everyone else will think so, too.”

He peered at her as she pondered this and knew the battle was won when Emma glanced at the picture of Regina and Henry on the fridge and gave a soft smile.

“Ok, kid, you win.  I’ll talk to Mary Margaret and see if she can help with the construction.”

Henry beamed at her as he rinsed out his cereal bowl and hustled upstairs to finish getting ready for school. 

Phase One complete.

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When Regina picked Henry up from school a few days later she smiled at how eagerly he ran to her now.  She would never get tired of seeing him smile in such an unreserved way.  He jumped into the car and she beamed at him, putting the car into gear and driving toward Main Street rather than Mifflin.

Henry frowned.  “Where are we going?”

“Mr. Gold’s shop.  He called today to let me know that your _Sword of Truth_ has arrived.”

“He got it?!  The really real one?!”

“Well, I imagine it’s a replica, but yes.”

Henry squealed with delight and said, “That’s amazing!”

Regina merely smiled.  Henry did not need to concern himself with the cost.  She had traded her mother’s locket for the sword.  It had hurt to let that final piece of her mother’s life go, but seeing the utter joy Henry glowed with made her feel it was worth it.

Besides, she was moving forward now – not looking back.  Her time in Neverland had thrown so many things into stark relief.  In the desperation and panic of living moment to moment trying to find her son before it was too late, Regina let go of her sorrow over Daniel, her grieving over Cora.  There was no space in her heart for the hatred and wrath that had motivated her for decades.  She could only act for love.  Love of her son.  When she returned to Storybrooke, she held tight to this new philosophy.

For the first time since she was a girl, Regina was looking to the future now.  A future in the town she had built.  A future with the son she loved more than anything.

And maybe now she could begin to admit to herself that a certain blonde sheriff also made appearances in her visions of the future.  There was a time that whenever this thought came she was quick to amend that of course Emma was there.  As Henry’s other mother, that’s all. 

Regina knew now that there was so much more to it.  She had been waiting for months for the sheriff to ask her out.  She had considered several times just making a move but whenever the thought occurred she became panicked at the thought that if things went badly – if her feelings weren’t returned – she could lose both Emma and Henry.  It was her greatest fear.

Lost in her musing, Regina nearly forgot to turn into the spot in front of Gold’s shop.  When she did pull the car in, Henry jumped out and danced on the sidewalk like he had when he was little and needed the potty. 

“Calm yourself, Henry.  It’s just a sword.”

“Just a sword?  Just.  A.  Sword?!  It’s the _Sword of Truth_ , Mom.  It’s the sword of the Seeker.  It makes one man fight as many.”  He began miming the thrusts and ripostes his grandfather had been teaching him as she approached.  “With this sword I will seek justice and truth and defend the meek!”

She chuckled as she brushed the hair out of his eyes.  “Well, Mr. Defender-of-the-Meek, first things first.  Rules.  This is a real sword.  It will be dangerous.  It will not be a toy.  You could hurt someone.”

Henry recoiled as though she had struck him.  “I know.”  He kept his eyes down as his face paled.  “I know, Mom.  That boy in Neverland, he…he wanted to fight.  And I…I cut him.  I didn’t mean to, but I…”

Regina crouched down slightly to put her face to face with her son.  “Oh Henry.  I know you didn’t mean to hurt him and so did he.  I’m sorry.  I know you are so smart and will be careful with the sword.  I just never want anything to happen to you.”

Henry gave a tentative smile and then threw his arms around her neck.  It had been like this since they returned.  More and more he was acting like his old self, but in an instant his memories would be triggered and he seemed so much younger.

It especially unnerved Emma, who had only ever seen Henry as the mature young man who had come to seek her in Boston.  In these instances, it was Regina Henry needed.  She had comforted his nightmares and healed his wounds since before he had real trauma to relive.  And though she hated her son being in pain, as she pulled him more tightly against her slender frame and cooed in his ear, she felt such an upsurge of love and joy at having him back that she shook herself guiltily after a moment.

“Why don’t we go pick up your sword and then we can go home and get started on dinner.  I thought we could make homemade pizza.”

He tried to surreptitiously wipe away a tear that had escaped.  Regina pretended not to notice.

“Is Emma coming?”

“No, sweetheart.  She has dinner plans with her parents tonight.  I thought you and I could spend the evening together.  I have some pieces of your costume for you to try on.”

He nodded and said, “Can we watch the show?”

Regina knew which show he meant.  He only ever wanted to watch one thing.  He had taken to _Legend of the Seeker_ in a way he had not loved anything other than his book once upon a time.

She smiled at him.  “Whatever you like, dear.”

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Once they had finished dinner, Henry and Regina moved into her study.  She had him standing on a stepstool from the kitchen while she perched on the edge of the settee, pinning in places where the fit was not quite right.  She took only a moment to notice how tall and lanky he was getting wistfully.  This might be the last year he participated in Trick or Treat, she thought sadly.

Henry watched as she frowned in concentration, a few pins poking out between her lips.  He decided now was as good a time as any to commence Phase Two.

“Mom.”

Regina hummed in response.

“Well, I was just wondering what you were planning to wear for Halloween.”

“Hmm…” Regina pulled the pins from her mouth and met Henry’s eyes.  “I had thought maybe I would stay home this year.”

“What?  Why?”

“Well, dear, it’s just that this will be the first Halloween festival since the curse broke and I don’t want to spoil your fun.”

“Mom,” Henry said eying her incredulously, “The only way that could happen would be if you didn’t come.  We always go together.”

“I know, Henry.”  She sighed.  “I suppose if it means a lot to you I could figure out a costume.”

“I already know what you should be.”

“Oh?”

“Yes!  You should be Cara.”

“From your show?”  Regina’s heart plummeted.  He wanted her to be a villain.

“Yeah!  It’s perfect!”

Regina tried to smile but it came off as a pained grimace.  “I…I suppose, I…”

Henry caught on to her discomfort and rushed to explain. 

“Don’t you get it?  She was an innocent little girl and people hurt her until she did bad things for them.  But deep down, she always held onto her goodness.  And once Richard helped her to see the goodness inside her she became like the biggest hero.”

Regina’s mouth hung open as her eyes filled with tears.  “You…you think I’m a hero?”

“Mom, you saved me from Pan.  You and Emma got me home from Neverland.  Even before that, you stopped the trigger.  You saved Emma and Snow when they came back from the Enchanted Forest.  You’ve been a hero for a long time – you just have to believe.”

Regina cleared her throat and put her hand to Henry’s cheek.  “I believe in you, Henry.”

“I know, Mom.  So will you do it?”

Regina sighed, “I suppose at one time I had a way with leather.”  She gave him a genuine smile and chucked his chin before standing and saying, “Why don’t you take this off and go take your bath.  I’ll be up to say goodnight in thirty minutes.”

Henry nodded and ran up the stairs.

Regina looked at herself in the foyer mirror, considering.  She knew her figure was impeccable.  Perhaps red leather was exactly the way to get the attention of a certain sheriff.  She chuckled as she shook her head and went to clear away her sewing kit.

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The Halloween festival took place the Saturday before the actual holiday.  A committee, led by Ruby and Belle had transformed the nearby campground into an appropriately creepy festival grounds complete with a haunted campground, food stands, carnival rides, and games. 

Henry had spent the night before with Neal to finish final details of their plan.  They were meant to meet up with Emma and go with her to pick up Regina.  But by enlisting Ruby they were able to have Emma called away early to check into “security concerns” at the festival ground.  So instead, he and Neal had shown up to pick up Regina.  He hoped that by delaying the moment and getting them out in the crowd the moment his moms saw each other would have maximum impact.

The moment the door to 108 Mifflin Street opened it was clear that impact was exactly what Regina Mills intended to have.  Clad from head to toe in red leather and holding the narrow leather baton of the Mord Sith’s agile, Regina radiated power.  Neal’s jaw hung open until Henry elbowed him in the ribs.

“Regina, you…uh…you look great.”

She nodded politely as she took in his own, more ridiculous contest without cracking a smile, “Neal.”  When her eyes fell to her son, however, she smiled widely, “Henry.  You look very handsome.  Shall we go?”

Neal and Henry turned and began to walk toward Gold’s sedan until Regina cleared her throat behind them.

“I don’t think so.”

“Listen, I have to take the car to return it to my dad.”

“Then Henry and I will see you at the festival.”

Neal and Regina silently sized one another up for a moment while Henry stared.  They mostly got along now but Henry suspected that had a lot to do with Emma keeping Neal in line.  After a moment Neal gave Regina a nod and Henry an apologetic shrug.

Henry ran up to Neal and whispered in his ear before releasing him to climb into his mother’s car.  Neal gave a solemn salute but his eyes twinkled with mirth as Regina joined her son in the car and it purred to life.

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Emma was amazed as she looked around at how elaborate Storybrooke’s celebration was.  Ruby had excitedly told her that the whole town came out for Halloween – it was even bigger than Christmas around here.

Still, she could have killed Ruby for calling her away from coming to the festival with Regina and Henry for this.  There was absolutely nothing suspicious about Leroy’s conduct.  So far as Emma could see he was dutifully setting up a face-painting station for Nova.

The only advantage Emma could see was that she was able to escape her mother.  With Snow’s pregnancy hormones raging, she had wept when she saw Emma in her white Mother Confessor dress.  She kept pulling Emma into hugs.  Emma was convinced that her dress would be smeared with her mother’s make-up before she could even make it to the festival.  Luckily, Snow and Charming were going as Jack and Sally from _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ and all she had applied so far was clown white.

The moment her phone had rung, Emma clutched on to the opportunity to escape like a lifeline.  But that had been an hour ago and now with the booths finishing their set-up and her fingers numb, Emma was regretting having stayed out here, at least without a big steaming hot chocolate.  She was just thinking longingly of her red leather jacket when a projectile shaped like a boy collided with her middle. She smiled down at Henry before pushing him back by his shoulders so she could see his whole costume.

“Wow, kid…you’ve really got it all.  _Sword of Truth_ , weird tooth necklace thing, you look great.  Where’s your…”

Before she could finish the question she looked up and saw Regina over his head.  The moment she did the breath left her lungs and a strange ringing filled her ears.  For one long moment, she simply stared.  She had always resented Regina’s comments about her beloved jacket but now she got it.

This is what red leather is for.

Regina’s face was only slightly more composed than Emma’s as she took in the glow of the white dress hugging the blonde’s curves and the carefully placed glimpses of skin around the bust that made her lick her lips.

Henry beamed looking from one stunned mother to the other.  He told them he was going to find Neal, although he was pretty sure neither truly heard him as Regina merely nodded without looking at him and Emma replied, “Lugnyug.”  As soon as he was out of their line of site he fist pumped the air and went to look for Neal by the games.

“Regina,” Emma said when she found her words, “You look, um…”

Regina smirked at Emma’s lack of eloquence and gently pushed Emma’s jaw closed with her finger.  “You too, dear.”

Emma blushed prettily and offered her arm, “Shall we?”

“Let’s.”

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Henry had hoped that they would spend some quality time together and was mildly disappointed when he saw that they had followed him over by the games.  As soon as Emma took in Neal’s wizard robes and long white wig, she doubled over in laughter.  He scowled at her and after a few moments shoved a fistful of cotton candy in her mouth to get her to shush.

Regina smirked as she said, “Well now, Henry.  You’ve got us all here now.  What would you like to do first?”

“The haunted campground, for sure!”

Regina’s face became a mask of worry in an instant.  “I don’t know, Henry.  Don’t you think that might be a little…intense?  You don’t want bad dreams.”

“No way, Mom.  I know it’s not real.  Besides, I’ve been preparing with my dad.”

Both women turned their gaze on Neal who had the good grace to look sheepish.  “We’ve um…we’ve been watching some scary movies.”  The glares directed at him made him gulp and quickly hold up his hands, “At Henry’s request.  He thought it would help him move past his fears.”

“Oh yes.  I generally rely upon Henry to make his own parenting decisions.”

“Archie thought it was a good idea, too, Mom.  He said that by confronting fear I could learn to control my response.  Come on, please?”

Regina caught Emma’s eye, who shrugged as to defer to her judgment and then sighed.  “I suppose we may enter the campground, Henry, but you stay close.”

Henry beamed and nodded eagerly, “Of course!”

The four of them entered together but after a few moments it became clear that the campground was full of dark twists and it became difficult to stay together.  Somehow this resulted in Neal and Regina separated from Henry and Emma.  Regina was beside herself with fear for Henry and continually called his name for several minutes before Neal gently put his hands on her shoulders.  She glared at him.

“Regina, he’s with Emma.  He’s fine.  Why don’t we go wait by the exit and we can meet them there?”

Regina huffed and jerked her arms away from him.  “Perfect.  He shows my son scary movies, suggests he walk into a labyrinth, and now I’m stuck with him in his ridiculous get-up.”

“I can hear you, you know?”

“Well, I said it loud.”

“Look, you know that Emma will take care of him.”

“Yes, well.  I’m sure you’ll be happy for them to come out and fall into your arms, the happy family reunited.”

“What?  What are you talking about?”

Regina rolled her eyes.  “I’m not surprised that your lack of subtlety matches your lack of parenting skill.”

Neal shook his head in exasperation before he burst out, “You know what, Regina?  I get it.  You don’t like me.  I’m Henry’s father and I have a past with Emma.  But I’m a part of the picture now and you can’t stop that.  But I think we both know that if anyone sets up housekeeping with Emma and Henry, it won’t be me.”

Regina stared at him stunned for a moment before turning, the sound of Henry sobbing having caught her attention.  She turned to the exit and ran over upon seeing Henry cradled in Emma’s arms.  Tears streamed down Emma’s face, too.

“Henry?  What’s wrong?  What happened?  Emma?”

Emma set Henry down but kept him tight against her as she explained, “There was a costumed character dressed as Pan and another dressed as Pan’s shadow.  They came out of nowhere and pulled on Henry’s arms.  He lost it immediately, but they thought that made him the perfect victim.  They wouldn’t back off until I grabbed him and carried him out.  I’m so sorry.”

Regina knelt next to Henry to wrap her arms around him but she reached up for Emma’s hand.  “Shh, it’s not your fault Emma.  He’s ok.”

Henry turned to wrap himself firmly around Regina and she could feel him trembling.  “I’m sorry, Mommy.  I thought I could do it.  I watched all those movies.  I just…I couldn’t…and I didn’t know where you were…and I...”

Regina rocked him back and forth as she whispered, “Oh baby, you have nothing to apologize for.  You were very brave to go in there.  Should we go home?”

Henry pulled back and wiped the tears roughly from his cheeks shaking his head, “No, I want to stay.  I still didn’t get to go on any rides and I want to play the games.”

She nodded and said, “Ok, sweetheart.  But why don’t we get you some hot chocolate first?”

He nodded and smiled so big she felt her heart swell.  He gave her one last hug and pulled back.  He looked up at Emma and said, “Sorry,” sheepishly.  She shook her head, still quite shaken from seeing him panic, and attempted to smile.  “It’s fine.”

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One restorative round of hot chocolate later, the four of them walked together to the area where the carnival rides were set up.  Following on the heels of their last adventure, all three adults recommended that Henry start slow with the carousel and work his way to the bigger rides.

After his last idea had crashed and burned, Neal had become extremely quiet.  He kept his head down and followed the group.  While Henry’s mothers watched him on the carousel, Neal wandered away for a few moments to try to find a peace offering.  He returned moments later with a bag of hot donuts for Emma and a paper-wrapped rose for Regina. 

Emma glared at him for a moment and he sighed.  “Look - that was my mistake.  I’m sorry.  I’m new to being a dad and I tend to trust his judgment more than I probably should.  Just…I would never want him hurt intentionally.  I’m sorry.”

Regina nodded firmly and said, “It was a mistake any of us could have made.”

Emma and Neal both stared at her, jaws hanging open in shock.  Regina moved away from them to the fence to wave at Henry as he passed.  After a moment, Emma looked to Neal and said, “Flowers, huh?”

Neal gave a half-grin and said, “Yeah, well.  I figured that the lady who makes Henry brush his teeth after a stick of gum might not want donuts.”

Emma popped one in her mouth and then held the bag out to Neal, rolling her eyes.  He took it to mean forgiveness and grinned as he took one, too.

When Henry finished he ran out to them and said, “That was fun, but I really want to do that.”  He pointed to the Ferris wheel.  Emma paled.

“That huge thing?  I don’t know, Henry.  Are you sure you are ready for that?”

Henry rolled his eyes and said, “Look at it, Ma.  It goes like super slow.  I want to do that.  You can probably see everything up there.”

Emma gave a shaky smile and nodded.  Henry ran forward leading them to it.  When he had paid the conductor the man looked at the group and said, “Two to a car.  Move ahead, please.”

“Oh no, I mean, the rides are for the kids, I’ll just wait here,” Emma rushed to say.

“No way, Ma.  Look, Grandma and Gramps are on there.” 

Sure enough, about halfway up her parents were making out like teenagers.  It did not help Emma’s sudden nausea. 

“Come on, Dad.  I want to ride with you.”  Henry pulled Neal by the hand into the open car.  Neal looked at the ladies and shrugged as the bar came down in front of them.  Henry immediately started whispering to his father about how this was officially Phase Three.

Emma looked bashfully at Regina and said, “Well, I…I mean, we don’t have to.”

Regina smiled at her and sauntered away calling “Come along, Sheriff” over her shoulder.

Emma took a deep breath and followed, sitting gingerly beside Regina and feeling her heart in her throat the moment that the bar lowered.

“You know I saw this thing on Sixty Minutes one time about carnival rides and their safety.  Do you think Henry’s really safe?  Did you see my parents making out?  I can’t believe that Neal has been showing Henry scary movies.  My scary movie involves watching my parents make out all over town.  Am I talking too fast?”  Without taking breath, Emma managed to say all of this before the ride began moving.

Regina eyed her with mild amusement, “My dear, Sheriff.  Do you mean to tell me that The Savior is afraid of a carnival ride?”

Emma immediately smirked and said, “Afraid of a ride?  Pfft.”  But her calm demeanor fell apart the moment the car jerked as they started to move and she squealed.  “Ok it’s not the ride, so much.  It’s the…potential to plummet to my death that kind-of worries me.”

“Emma, are you afraid of heights?”

She nodded sheepishly, her hands wrapped around the bar until her knuckles were white and her face a deep crimson.  “It’s silly, I know.  But I always have been.  I fell out of a tree when I was a kid and broke my arm and…I just don’t like being high up.”

She trailed off and closed her eyes as they began to reach the top – the distance to the ground was making her dizzy. 

She felt warm fingers slide over hers on the bar and took in a quick breath.  She felt Regina’s warm breath on her ear as she whispered, “Perhaps you just need to think of something else, dear.  Distract yourself.”

Without realizing it was happening, Emma found that Regina had pried her fingers away from the bar and pulled them into her own lap.  She skated her fingers across Emma’s palm lightly and Emma sighed.  She extended her fingers along the length of Emma’s, which instinctively curled as though to return the caress.

“There now, Sheriff,” Regina purred in Emma’s ear, “That’s better, isn’t it?”

Emma hummed her agreement and moved closer to Regina.  Regina wrapped her arm around Emma and intertwined their left hands in her lap.  She skated her fingers up Emma’s right shoulder and into golden curls.  Emma moaned when she felt Regina’s fingers massaging her neck.

She turned her head and opened her eyes to see Regina gazing at her with heavy-lidded eyes.  Regina’s eyes flicked down to Emma’s lips.  Emma licked them as she looked down to the plump red lips before her.  She leaned forward, her gaze returning to Regina’s eyes as she did so.  She felt Regina’s breath against her lips as her eyelids fluttered closed.

“Emma!”

Emma’s head snapped up at the sound of her mother’s voice.  Regina sighed roughly and closed her eyes for a moment wishing she could curse Show White again.

Unnoticed by either woman, Henry gave his dad a frustrated look and kicked the dirt at the interruption.  They were almost there, he just knew it.

He watched them dismount the ride and walk over to speak to his grandparents.  His grandma had burst into tears again and pulled Emma into a hug.  He rolled his eyes and said, “What are we going to do, Dad?  How do we get them to see?”

“Leave it to me, buddy.”

Neal strode over to the still-sobbing Snow and Emma huddle and saw Regina and Charming standing by awkwardly. 

“Hey Snow!  Um…I just saw Ruby and she was looking for you.  Something about the birdhouse station needed more paint.”

In an instant, Snow’s mood shifted to manic energy, “More paint?!  MORE PAINT?!  I left them a whole craft store worth!  Charming, let’s go.”  Without another word, she turned and strode away.  Charming lingered a moment looking as though he might say something, but in the end he simply hung his head and walked off behind her.

“How could they run out of paint?  Who the hell,” Emma ignored Regina’s glare at her choice of language and continued, “is spending their time at this festival painting birdhouses?”

“Oh, nobody.  I just said that to get her to let go of you.”

Emma beamed at him and leapt forward to give him a hug, “You are a genius!”

Neal blushed and patted Emma’s back awkwardly for a moment before pulling back.  He rubbed the back of his neck as he replied, “Hey look, I told the kid we could play some games before the end of the night.  I know you guys want to check out the pumpkins.  Maybe I could keep him tonight, if that’s ok with you guys.”

Emma looked to Regina, deferring to her preference.  Regina looked to Henry for a moment who was giving her a hopeful look.  She sighed and placed a hand on his cheek.  “No scary movies, tonight, Henry.  And make sure you brush your teeth.  I imagine they will be well coated with sugar before the end of the night.”  Her tone was stern, but as she rose, she gave Neal a wink and a small smile.  He nodded.

Emma crouched in front of Henry and said, “You call me if you need anything, ok?”

Henry rolled his eyes but pulled her into a hug, “I will, Ma.  You guys have fun.”

Emma stood and gave Regina a small smile.  Regina returned it as she blushed prettily.

“Right, well.  We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”  Neal gave a small grin and put his arm around Henry’s shoulders, pulling him off to the games.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

“So, how about those pumpkins?”

Regina nodded and they wandered off side by side.

They looked at the dozens of carved pumpkins in companionable silence, every now and then stopping to point out a favorite.  When they were nearly to the end, Emma stopped dead in the middle of the row.

“Oh man!  Why would anyone do that?”

“Do what?”

“Carve a terrifying clown pumpkin!”

Regina looked at the pumpkin in question.  She shrugged and said, “I’ve never really understood why people find clowns frightening.”

“Are you serious?!  Look at it,”  Emma grabbed Regina’s shoulders from behind and pushed her forward, leaning over her shoulder to growl in her ear, “Hiya, Georgie.”  Regina turned her head and looked at Emma’s face in front of hers.

“What?  You never saw It?”

“I…”  Regina swallowed audibly and moved away, continuing down the row.  “No, I guess not.”

Emma followed behind her pensively, no longer looking at the pumpkins at all.

“So, Henry faced Pan today.  His biggest fear.”

“Yes.”

“And now you know that I am afraid of both heights and clowns.”

“Indeed.”

Emma grabbed Regina’s hand to stop her from continuing down the row.  Regina looked at their clasped hands as Emma continued, “But I still don’t know whether you are afraid of anything.”

Regina squirmed for a moment and mumbled, “I suppose everyone is afraid of something.”

“Yeah?”  Emma squeezed her hand, “Well, what is it?  Spiders?  Snakes?”

“Well, I…I’m afraid of losing Henry.”

Emma deflated, “Of course.  Me too.”

“And…”

Emma looked up.

Regina sighed and looked around quickly before pulling Emma to the end of the row and back behind the pavilion.

“Why are we back here?”  Emma paused as Regina turned and intertwined their fingers.  “Are you afraid of the dark?

Regina stepped into Emma and pressed their lips together lightly.  She pulled back a hair’s breadth and opened her eyes to look at Emma’s face.  After a moment, Emma raised her eyes slowly to meet Regina’s dazedly.

“Oh.”

Regina pulled back further, biting her lip.  Emma looked thunderstruck and then disappointed.  Regina gasped as her heart lurched.

“I’m sorry, that was…”

Emma cut her off by pulling her back and pressing their lips together again, her hand finding the back of Regina’s neck and then weaving into her hair as she deepened the kiss. 

When they paused for breath, Emma smiled gently at Regina and said, “I’ve wanted to do that forever.  You win the bravery award.”

Regina beamed at her and said, “And don’t you forget it.”

Emma smirked and snaked her arms around Regina’s waist, leather creaking as she pulled their bodies flush against each other.  Regina groaned as Emma giggled.

“Perhaps I should get out of this leather.”

Emma hummed, “I like the leather.”

Regina leaned forward and purred in Emma’s ear, “Yes, dear, but I believe you will be happy with what’s underneath.”

Emma moaned as Regina bit her earlobe.  Very reluctantly she pulled back and said, “So does this mean that we’re…what are we?”

“Well, I suppose that depends, dear.  I know that you are not the relationship type.”

“And neither are you.”

“But, I…would be willing to brave it.  If you are.”

Emma beamed, “You’re on, Madame Mayor.”

Regina sighed contentedly as Emma kissed her neck, moving across her cheek to pause just above her lips.

“Afraid?”

“Not even a little bit.”


End file.
